Picture: Andrew Gillen
Let me start this introduction by saying I planned on not writing an introduction. This game seemed to be another typical Phillies game. Fall behind early on, and never really look good enough to catch up. However, this team had a different energy when they were scoring. They were actually entertaining to watch, even when they were losing.
This game did start off early. It began, obviously, with the first inning, when Kyle Kendrick served up a monster home run to the Rockies' Carlos Gonzales. One run did not come off as so bad, but it was not a good way to begin the game in terms of confidence. 1-0 Rockies.
In their second offensive appearance, the Phillies got their first two baserunners on. Ryan Howard worked a walk, and Kevin Frandsen was hit by a pitch to put two on with nobody out. However, John Mayberry Jr., Freddy Galvis, and Humberto Quintero all failed to advance the runners, and the score remained the same.
A Todd Helton single began the second inning for Kyle Kendrick. Nolan Arenado did fly out, but Tyler Colvin and Yorvit Torrealba would both reach to load the bases with one out. Juan Nicasio went on the single and bring home two. 3-0 Rockies.
The fourth inning was up and down for the Phillies. In their half, Frandsen would score after singling and being brought home on Mayberry Jr.'s double. Quintero would later single to bring home Jr., and the Phils were back to within one run. 3-2 Rockies.
The two runs they scored (and then some) would be given right back in the bottom half of the inning. A Colvin single was followed by a Torrealba double, putting the score at 4-2. Josh Rutledge would follow up with a 2-run homerun to the bullpen, and the Rockies now led it 6-2.
Kyle Kendrick was obviously not himself this evening. This became even more evident when, in the fifth, he allowed Gonzalez to walk and Michael Cuddyer to single. An Arenado single scored the Rockies' seventh run, ending Kendrick's night. Jeremy Horst would come into the game and induce the inning-ending-double-play. 7-2 Rockies.
Things did get a bit closer in the sixth inning. After Howard and Frandsen walked and singed to begin the frame, Freddy Galvis would triple with one out to bring home both runners. A Quintero groundout then scored Galvis. Despite Delmon Young and Ben Revere singles up next, the Phillies could not score again, but were back within reach. 7-5 Rockies.
In the most intriguing inning in recent memory, Domonic Brown started off the seventh with a single. Wilton Lopez would come in after Howard struck out and Brown stole second. Frandsen would fly out to center, putting a runner on third, but with two away. Mayberry Jr. walked next, and Galvis would record his second triple of the night. This put the score at 7-7. Another run would score when Jimmy Rollins pinch hit for Quintero and singled to right. The Phillies would head to the eighth with a 8-7 lead.
Jonathan Papelbon would come on and close it out for the Phils to record his 13th save of the year and 270th of his career. Phillies win this one 8-7.
All in all, this was a relatively good game for the Phils. Timely hitting and quality at bats off the bench were at the forefront. Of course, Freddy Galvis' two triples come up huge as well. The major concern has to be over Kyle Kendrick, who has struggled in his recent outings. It could have just been a case of pitching in Colorado, but he will be watched closely in his next outing. The Phillies have now won two straight games, and now aim to take Game 2 from the Rockies tomorrow at 4:10, when Jonathan Pettibone takes on Tyler Chatwood.
